Carl Robinson hopes the A-League resumes and the Newcastle Jets can continue an unlikely push towards the A finals but the former Welsh international also has eye to the pre-season.
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The Jets, stone motherless last after round 17, have won three of the past four games and are three points behind sixth-placed Western United, who have played two games less.
The Melbourne new boys and cellar dwellers Central Coast are among four games the Jets have remaining if the COVID-19 flattens and the league restarts.
Ronbinson put the improvement down to the attitude of the players.
"Based on the past seven weeks, they have made big strides," he said. "That is credit to them. It is easy to get a reaction and keep that reaction."
Though happy with the Jets' progress, including a move to a possession-based game, Robinson is eagerly await the pre-season.
"I can't wait to be on the field with them for a number of weeks where you are playing pre-season games and are implementing things in our training model on how we want to play," he said. "When someone adjusts to what you are doing, and they get on top, how can you affect change? That you can't do in six weeks. That takes a lot of work in pre-season. That is what we will be working on - not just Plan-A, but Plan-B and even Plan-C at times."
The Jets' three most recent wins were against play-off contenders Perth (2-1), Adelaide (3-0) and Melbourne City (2-1).
That is where Robinson wants to be, whether it is this season or next.
"There are six teams who make the play-offs. We certainly want to be competing for that and at the top end," he said. "There is not too much between the teams other than the difference makers."
Robinson has no doubt he can get more out of his key men in the front third.
"The difference makers we have this year - Roy and Arroyo as the forwards. Their goal output needs to increase," Robinson said. "Dimi has the most assists in the league and, with four games to go, has five goals. He should be getting double figures in goals and assists. That will be my target for him.
"Then you have Steve Ugarkovic, who has been terrific as a deep-lying playmaker since I have been here. He is one of best players in the league in that position and has come on in leaps and bounds. His attention to detail in what I want from him has been spot-on in training. I still think he could get six to eight goals per season.
"When you are talking about individuals and increasing goal totals across the board, that includes wingers and fullbacks. Matt Millar with five goals, if we can increase the left side output by a couple of goals and set pieces. All in all, where you are at the moment, add another 15 goals and you are talking about 10 or 12 points. Suddenly, you are in the conversation for the top four or top two.
"That is how I will break it down for them individually and collectively. Again, I have not come all this way to be happy to sneak into the play-offs. I want to win things. I was lucky enough to win things in Vancouver ... that's what I want to do again."